erm...the sane thing is (sadly) to reply with nukes. if they don't, other countries will think they can get away with using nukes then.

It might work that way, but maybe not. Given a nuclear strike (which considering their situation would be rather minor) the US could just go in and occupy Pyongyang and arrest the people involved. I doubt in that scenario there would be any Chinese complaint. If there were, then probably a nuclear catastrophe would ensue, and the Chinese would suffer too.

To my mind all this is so insane as to be incredible and almost certainly not going to happen, no matter how crazy that government is. As I said, I think all the bluster is to coax money out of the west.

A good chunk of northern south korea would become a ruined battle-scape before N. Korea goes down. Assuming she doesn't have a couple more nukes then "we" previously thought. Sadly. No easy fix to this one. The Americans should have ended it when they had the chance.

A good chunk of northern south korea would become a ruined battle-scape before N. Korea goes down.

In all honesty I don't think so. North Korea is a mess, with dwindling population, an elite that has to heat their homes with bonfires, and a bust economy. I think its all bluster, and that they have almost no military capability. I also just can't bring myself to believe that they would set off nuclear weapons against other Koreans. Those people are nationalistic more than they are Communist.

That said, it is a perilous situation, and one can never be sure. Still, I have no worries investing in S. Korean companies.

"Why not take what seems to me the only chance of escaping what is otherwise the sure destruction"

Posted 26 January 2013 - 11:38 AM

freetoroam, on 24 January 2013 - 04:22 PM, said:

Wonder if they will storm Nkorea now. The USA thought Iraq had WOMD and stormed it anyway without proof, here the proof is there....what are they waiting for?

Will they, by they meaning your government and military office acceppt the casaulties? I think that attacking Iran is like walk in the part, but i think your office has no guts to attack a military organised country.

So i would ask you, would you agree with them and their politics sticking noses in where they dont belong and probably invading which will devastate US military? US government did Nuclear tests to and noone minded, because they didnt care.

Anyway my opnion is that US will do nothing and so will Nkorea. Politic rubbish..

If you didn't see it with your own eyes, or hear it with your own ears, don't invent it with your small mind and share it with your big mouth!

Posted 26 January 2013 - 11:42 AM

minera, on 26 January 2013 - 12:46 AM, said:

no oil?

it seems they do have oil.

In an ideal World a law would be passed were NO guns were allowed and all those out there destroyed, trouble is the law makers are not going to take a risk of trying to pass that without making sure they are armed first.

It might work that way, but maybe not. Given a nuclear strike (which considering their situation would be rather minor) the US could just go in and occupy Pyongyang and arrest the people involved. I doubt in that scenario there would be any Chinese complaint. If there were, then probably a nuclear catastrophe would ensue, and the Chinese would suffer too.

To my mind all this is so insane as to be incredible and almost certainly not going to happen, no matter how crazy that government is. As I said, I think all the bluster is to coax money out of the west.

It's blackmail for sure. If they get ignored by the grownups I only worry a little that the new leader might push a bit too hard and start a war with the south by mistake. I've read that the number of artillery tubes pointed at Seoul is in the thousands.

We've cast the world, we've set the stage, for what could be, the darkest age...“This is like playing poker with a guy who cheated you twice before. You know who does that, a moron.

If you didn't see it with your own eyes, or hear it with your own ears, don't invent it with your small mind and share it with your big mouth!

Posted 26 January 2013 - 11:46 AM

Frank Merton, on 24 January 2013 - 04:57 PM, said:

I think the States won't do anything until the Chinese give their quiet little nod, and that could be a long time from now.

The North Koreans act this way to get foreign aid. It's a form of blackmail and it has worked for them in the past.

you could be right, don`t America still owe China a few billion?

This aid thing, they must of got the idea off the Africans, they have been getting for aid for years and are fully armed up too! Maybe the west have 'mugs" written all over their faces?

In an ideal World a law would be passed were NO guns were allowed and all those out there destroyed, trouble is the law makers are not going to take a risk of trying to pass that without making sure they are armed first.

Will they, by they meaning your government and military office acceppt the casaulties? I think that attacking Iran is like walk in the part, but i think your office has no guts to attack a military organised country.

So i would ask you, would you agree with them and their politics sticking noses in where they dont belong and probably invading which will devastate US military? US government did Nuclear tests to and noone minded, because they didnt care.

Anyway my opnion is that US will do nothing, since N.Korea is still connected to some powerfull countries, it is like Iran scenario.. US is just shouting into the dark, resulting in their own failure. This matter should taken with great measure of caution.. More shouting more chances of them atcualy dropping nukes... and you cant do nothing about it except shut it and let them do their tests and get over it.

You can read all about N.Korea on wiki.

Yeah, that's us...the weak US NK is a dangerous, unstable dinosaur and they can, at will, destroy Seoul and take over the south in a few days unless the US used WMD against them. But I think your insults about my country miss the mark. I believe that in a push we WOULD nuke Pyongyang. In fact it's probably the only country on earth we'd nuke first. Just because America has shown great restraint against our enemies up until now does not mean we would do so in all situations. If the north attacked Seoul, we'd really have no choice....

We've cast the world, we've set the stage, for what could be, the darkest age...“This is like playing poker with a guy who cheated you twice before. You know who does that, a moron.

"Why not take what seems to me the only chance of escaping what is otherwise the sure destruction"

Posted 26 January 2013 - 12:00 PM

and then, on 26 January 2013 - 11:50 AM, said:

Yeah, that's us...the weak US NK is a dangerous, unstable dinosaur and they can, at will, destroy Seoul and take over the south in a few days unless the US used WMD against them. But I think your insults about my country miss the mark. I believe that in a push we WOULD nuke Pyongyang. In fact it's probably the only country on earth we'd nuke first. Just because America has shown great restraint against our enemies up until now does not mean we would do so in all situations. If the north attacked Seoul, we'd really have no choice....

Thats the problem same is in the country you shoot first asked question later, in case of actually "NUKING" which again only US did.. you face off a war with China and many more.. NUKES are matter of the past.. even if N.Korea is saying they will do it they wont. Its US who again like in last 50 years pushing everyone... What will happen when one will be pushed too much?
A smart guy once said Life is like pendulum it swings back and forth .. what will happen when it swings back ?

Here is a case where I very much hope I am right and the doom-sayers are wrong, but I tend to be optimistic. Frankly I don't think the North Koreans have the ability to do anything anywhere near what they threaten. I think it is a bankrupt system and bankrupt systems can't afford to launch wars. Intelligence in these situations is next to useless (look at the confidence that Baghdad was a serious threat and how big he talked, and he turned out to be made of paper, and he had tons of money).